Hackett seeks help after thanking family

Grant Hackett has reconciled with his brother Craig and will seek help overseas for his mental health issues.

Former Olympic swimmer Grant Hackett. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Former champion swimmer Grant Hackett has reconciled with his brother Craig and will seek help overseas for his mental health issues, after what he ­described as “the toughest week of my life’’.

Hackett, who is understood to be in a far better frame of mind than he was last week when he was arrested and then went missing after a row with his family, ­issued a statement yesterday in which he thanked his family, “in particular my mum and dad for helping me through the toughest week of my life”.

“They have been amazing and have now stood by me through thick and thin — I can’t say enough about them — I could not wish for better parents.’’

He said he and his brother had resolved some of the tensions ­between them.

“My brother and I have reconnected and love each other very much — our family has always been our priority,’’ Hackett said.

He admitted he had “some mental health issues’’ and was seeking help in Australia and overseas.

“This is a very private matter that I am going through and I am going to work my way through it,’’ he said.

“I would appreciate it if everyone would allow me and my ­family to do everything we need to do.’’

He pleaded for privacy for himself and his family during what he described as a “delicate time”.

Hackett’s father Nev called Gold Coast police last Thursday because his son had been drinking heavily and was out of control at their family home.

A dishevelled Hackett was ­arrested and spent several hours at the watch house before he was released. In the meantime, his brother Craig told media that the family was at its wits’ ends and did not know how to help the 36-year-old sporting legend, who has had a ­series of highly publicised meltdowns since he first retired from swimming after the 2008 Olympic Games.

Craig said Grant was at times a danger to himself and to others.

In the following 24 hours, Hackett responded to his brother first by posting an old Instagram photo of himself with a black eye, claiming his brother “beat the s..t out of me”.

He then cut off all communication with his family for seven hours before reassuring them he was safe and hiding out in a hotel.